Lionel "The Greatest of All Time" Messi

[FinBarcelonafan]

Given how close Evra and CR7 is and how Evra is reacting you only have to assume how butthurt and pissed off Ronaldo is

Ronaldo must be so bitter that next dinner he won't even offer his famous dry chicken and veggies.

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

Yeah, it depends on what "best in the world" means. If it's just technical ability/dribbling/goalscoring package, that's Messi all the way (like every year lol). If it's who had the best combo (my definition) of impact and technical skill/dribbling/goalscoring...then...

2008 CR7 best player in the world, no question

2009-2012 Messi best player in the world, no question

2013 and 2014 were actually Ronaldo's absolute prime IMO. First half of 2013 Messi was best in the world but it can be argued that CR7 was best in latter half of 2013 and overall. 2014, CR7 was definitely best in the world.

2015 absolutely no doubt, Messi best in the world

2016 I think you can argue for each of Messi, CR7, and Suarez

2017 CR7 best in the world

2018 Messi or CR7 best in the world

2019 Messi best in the world

2020 Lewandowski best in the world

2021 Messi or Lewandowski best in the world

So, the Ballon D'Or count of 7-5 as it stands is pretty fair.

Agree with that list

Nah don't get fooled by that game. We subbed off Suarez at half-time leading 2-1 at Allianz and 5-1 overall. And then Neymar/Messi cooled off.

If we kept Suarez the whole time and went full throttle, we would have beaten Bayern at Allianz too.

Yeah i know, that was the best chance to pay back the 0-7 but we were too soft

 

[Hardy]

https://twitter.com/TeamMessi

 

[Rassvet]

If this award was given to the best performer regardless of trophies Messi would have had 10 Balon d'Ors by now.

Even if it’s judged solely by individual performances, I still think it’s fair to weigh big game performances more. For instance, I would give 2016 to Messi since Ronaldo won the trophies but didn’t actually perform great in the key matches but he would probably still get 2017 because of how good his CL knockout displays were.

2018 is the one I can’t really split as Messi had the best league performances by far but disappointed in the CL and WC. Him, Salah, and Ronaldo would all be pretty close imo with each having different arguments.

These would be my winners if it were solely down to individual performance

2008: Ronaldo
2009-2012: Messi
2013: Ronaldo
2014: Ronaldo
2015: Messi
2016: Messi
2017: Ronaldo
2018: Messi/Ronaldo/Salah
2019: Messi
2020: Lewandowski
2021: Lewandowski

 

[Horatio]

Given how close Evra and CR7 is and how Evra is reacting you only have to assume how butthurt and pissed off Ronaldo is

This is one of the fakest "happiness" fronts I have seen in my life. Pretty sure he beats up women.

 

[bismp]

Messi in year 2013 and 2014 was far away from GOAT form and wasnt imo the best in the world, these were probably the worst years in his life. Yeah you had discussions in 10 and 12 but thats pretty normal, to that time there were a lot of great players.

There were no discussions in 2012, Leo broke both the record for the most goals in a season(73) and in a calendar year(91) in the HISTORY of football(not just the history of Bundesliga )

Yeah, it depends on what "best in the world" means. If it's just technical ability/dribbling/goalscoring package, that's Messi all the way (like every year lol). If it's who had the best combo (my definition) of impact and technical skill/dribbling/goalscoring...then...

2008 CR7 best player in the world, no question

2009-2012 Messi best player in the world, no question

2013 and 2014 were actually Ronaldo's absolute prime IMO. First half of 2013 Messi was best in the world but it can be argued that CR7 was best in latter half of 2013 and overall. 2014, CR7 was definitely best in the world.

2015 absolutely no doubt, Messi best in the world

2016 I think you can argue for each of Messi, CR7, and Suarez

2017 CR7 best in the world

2018 Messi or CR7 best in the world

2019 Messi best in the world

2020 Lewandowski best in the world

2021 Messi or Lewandowski best in the world

So, the Ballon D'Or count of 7-5 as it stands is pretty fair.

Even if it?s judged solely by individual performances, I still think it?s fair to weigh big game performances more. For instance, I would give 2016 to Messi since Ronaldo won the trophies but didn?t actually perform great in the key matches but he would probably still get 2017 because of how good his CL knockout displays were.

2018 is the one I can?t really split as Messi had the best league performances by far but disappointed in the CL and WC. Him, Salah, and Ronaldo would all be pretty close imo with each having different arguments.

These would be my winners if it were solely down to individual performance

2008: Ronaldo
2009-2012: Messi
2013: Ronaldo
2014: Ronaldo
2015: Messi
2016: Messi
2017: Ronaldo
2018: Messi/Ronaldo/Salah
2019: Messi
2020: Lewandowski
2021: Lewandowski

2017 Messi was actually one of his best versions ever. It lowkey belongs among my top 3 favourite seasons of his. The man was a BEAST, scoring insane goals and free kicks like crazy. Too bad the team was kinda of a mess and in the meantime Zidane's Real were hitting their peak. It also did not help that Leo was kinda invisible in the CL knock-outs...But in La Liga and the CDR, he was INSANE.

That said, CR won both La Liga and of course the CL, where he scored many clutch goals, so I will admit that he deserved the award.

 

[bismp]

This is how I would rank Leo's seasons after 2009:

1) 2010/11
2) 2014/15
3) 2011/12
4) 2012/13
5) 2009/10
6) 2016/17
7) 2018/19
8) 2008/09
9) 2017/18
10) 2015/16
11) 2013/14
12) 2020/21
13) 2019/20
14) 2021/22 (?)

 

[KingLeo10]

This is how I would rank Leo's seasons after 2009:

1) 2010/11
2) 2014/15
3) 2011/12
4) 2012/13
5) 2009/10
6) 2016/17
7) 2018/19
8) 2008/09
9) 2017/18
10) 2015/16
11) 2013/14
12) 2020/21
13) 2019/20
14) 2021/22 (?)

Only place I disagree would be 18-19. I'd rate it after 10-11 and 14-15. IMO, he wasn't obviously in his physical prime, but that season was one of the greatest solo efforts I've seen. He was a one man army in LL and was by and far our best CL goalscorer in a declining team. So given context, I rate the season very highly.

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

Yeah, it depends on what "best in the world" means. If it's just technical ability/dribbling/goalscoring package, that's Messi all the way (like every year lol). If it's who had the best combo (my definition) of impact and technical skill/dribbling/goalscoring...then...

2008 CR7 best player in the world, no question

2009-2012 Messi best player in the world, no question

2013 and 2014 were actually Ronaldo's absolute prime IMO. First half of 2013 Messi was best in the world but it can be argued that CR7 was best in latter half of 2013 and overall. 2014, CR7 was definitely best in the world.

2015 absolutely no doubt, Messi best in the world

2016 I think you can argue for each of Messi, CR7, and Suarez

2017 CR7 best in the world

2018 Messi or CR7 best in the world

2019 Messi best in the world

2020 Lewandowski best in the world

2021 Messi or Lewandowski best in the world

So, the Ballon D'Or count of 7-5 as it stands is pretty fair.

This is how I would rank Leo's seasons after 2009:

1) 2010/11
2) 2014/15
3) 2011/12
4) 2012/13
5) 2009/10
6) 2016/17
7) 2018/19
8) 2008/09
9) 2017/18
10) 2015/16
11) 2013/14
12) 2020/21
13) 2019/20
14) 2021/22 (?)

18/19 should be way higher, 12/13 should be lower imo, scored a lot of goals but less dribblings than usual. 09/10, 18/19 and 08/09 should be after the 10/11 and 14/15 imo.

 

[Rassvet]

can anyone sum up Evra's insta rant? I saw it is like 7 min long...

 

[bismp]

Only place I disagree would be 18-19. I'd rate it after 10-11 and 14-15. IMO, he wasn't obviously in his physical prime, but that season was one of the greatest solo efforts I've seen. He was a one man army in LL and was by and far our best CL goalscorer in a declining team. So given context, I rate the season very highly.

True, maybe I was a little bit harsh,but on the other hand, this season also has some issues.

First of all, there is no doubt that Leo CARRIED the team in the UCL, but bear in mind that we had some very lucky draws.

For example in the R16 we had to face PSG in 2017 and Chelsea in 2018, while our opponent in 2019 was Lyon.

In the quarterfinals, we faced MU(who were a shell of their former selves), while in 2017 we had to face prime Juventus.

Finally, in the semis we faced prime Liverpool, everyone knows what happened... I would only like to point out that while Leo scored two goals and the second one is maybe his best FK goal ever, the overall performance is a bit overrated. I've seen people compare it to the performance vs Bayern in 2015 for example.

Furthermore, while Leo was sensational in the League and had many many memorable moments, it doesn't help that Real was the worst they've been the last many decades and Atletico were also mediocre. Thus, the legacy of the season and the achievement are slightly diminished.

The icing on the cake is the lost CDR final vs Valencia.

All in all,obviously a great season, a big carry job. Leo was mostly sensational and deserved the 2019 Ballon D'Or, but I think that he has had a few better seasons.

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

Finally, in the semis we faced prime Liverpool, everyone knows what happened... I would only like to point out that while Leo scored two goals and the second one is maybe his best FK goal ever, the overall performance is a bit overrated. I've seen people compare it to the performance vs Bayern in 2015 for example.

No way that was overrated, its actually underrated. The home performance against liverpool was absolute terrific.

 

[Raketa10]

I would have payed to watch CR reaction when Messi won.

 

[Mitchell1978]

This is how I would rank Leo's seasons after 2009:

1) 2010/11
2) 2014/15
3) 2011/12
4) 2012/13
5) 2009/10
6) 2016/17
7) 2018/19
8) 2008/09
9) 2017/18
10) 2015/16
11) 2013/14
12) 2020/21
13) 2019/20
14) 2021/22 (?)

imo, this is how i rank his seasons

2014/15
2011/12
2018/19
2010/11
2012/13
2016/17
2017/18
2009/10
2008/09
2020/21
2015/16
2019/20
2013/14

 

[malvolio]

The Sneijder 2010 shouts are strange. He didn't win serie a player of the year. If anyone should have won ballon d'or from inter it was Diego Milito.

Iniesta had a relatively poor season. 1 goal in 43 starts (fully aware he's not all about the goals) but that's low. Xavi was class and was a worthy shout.

Got to remember Messi and Ronaldo were only at the start of their ridiculous goal scoring shenanigans around then. It was unseen in football to be hitting those numbers except the odd year here and there throughout the history of the game. That's why he won it.

Also just to point out. Winning the league against Real Madrid is a good achievement. That's why it suddenly counts if Messi wins the league. Anyone who throws that away as being the same as Lewa winning the bundesliga is being ridiculous.

I've been on the Bernabeu for that final(only CL final that I've attended). Milito was excelent.